I’m providing feedback to other writers across a few groups and I found this article made me think about my current feedback and how it can be more effective. Thanks for sharing 👍
Thanks for taking the time to respond Terry. I’m glad it has proved useful and I’m sure the writers you are creating feedback for will be grateful for the insights you provide them. Ken.
Totally agree, it’s vital. And also agree with Rebecca that it becomes pointless if it’s purely fluffy. I think there is a huge difference between being critical and being nasty — the latter of which is just destructive and as pointless as only saying nice things.
One thing I do wish is that magazines and competitions would routinely give feedback on pieces they’re rejecting. And I know why they can’t, but it would just be so helpful!
Thanks Veronika, and agree that good feedback stems from a place of genuinely trying to support a writer to produce something better, and the recognition that in doing so, you help yourself as the critiquer by honing your own analytical skills.
As for feedback from magazines and competitions, that can help, but I think only if the magazine or competition can come up with a system that allows it go give considered feedback. Which as you say is hard. What surprises me too, is that there is not more editing/feedback done with more pieces that are accepted. That I think could be possible and productive.
Great piece! I think feedback started getting a bad rap several years ago--at the same time MFA workshop practices started coming under fire for oftentimes being cruel or just unhelpful. But good feedback is gold, if delivered in a thoughtful and kind way. Having come out of those (sometimes not always kind-spirited) MFA workshops, I go so far as to tell my current fellow workshoppers: be as prescriptive as you want to be. I love any and all feedback, but not everybody does. And it sounds like a lot of today's MFA workshop experiences are an act in kindness and gratitude only, with very little constructive criticism. So I think things may have swung too far that way. If all we want it admiration for a thing we wrote, the workshop is not where we should be. Your list of all the parts of writing/story is very helpful. I hope more would-be workshoppers take note!
Thanks Rebecca. Yes, I think where the right sweet spot for feedback is sometimes not always clear on courses and workshops. But I think finding that place stems from intent - a genuine, honest, empathetic attempt to provide the the writer with specifics they can consider and use in whatever way they choose. Because nobody should be unhappy with a really good editor after all.
Thanks so much Anna, please do feel free to share this and pass on in whatever way you wish.
I've found over the time I have been teaching and occasional mentoring, that having some guidelines for feedback and an open honest understanding of expectations really helps and encourages people to give and receive critiques much more easily.
I’m providing feedback to other writers across a few groups and I found this article made me think about my current feedback and how it can be more effective. Thanks for sharing 👍
Thanks for taking the time to respond Terry. I’m glad it has proved useful and I’m sure the writers you are creating feedback for will be grateful for the insights you provide them. Ken.
Totally agree, it’s vital. And also agree with Rebecca that it becomes pointless if it’s purely fluffy. I think there is a huge difference between being critical and being nasty — the latter of which is just destructive and as pointless as only saying nice things.
One thing I do wish is that magazines and competitions would routinely give feedback on pieces they’re rejecting. And I know why they can’t, but it would just be so helpful!
Thanks Veronika, and agree that good feedback stems from a place of genuinely trying to support a writer to produce something better, and the recognition that in doing so, you help yourself as the critiquer by honing your own analytical skills.
As for feedback from magazines and competitions, that can help, but I think only if the magazine or competition can come up with a system that allows it go give considered feedback. Which as you say is hard. What surprises me too, is that there is not more editing/feedback done with more pieces that are accepted. That I think could be possible and productive.
Great piece! I think feedback started getting a bad rap several years ago--at the same time MFA workshop practices started coming under fire for oftentimes being cruel or just unhelpful. But good feedback is gold, if delivered in a thoughtful and kind way. Having come out of those (sometimes not always kind-spirited) MFA workshops, I go so far as to tell my current fellow workshoppers: be as prescriptive as you want to be. I love any and all feedback, but not everybody does. And it sounds like a lot of today's MFA workshop experiences are an act in kindness and gratitude only, with very little constructive criticism. So I think things may have swung too far that way. If all we want it admiration for a thing we wrote, the workshop is not where we should be. Your list of all the parts of writing/story is very helpful. I hope more would-be workshoppers take note!
Thanks Rebecca. Yes, I think where the right sweet spot for feedback is sometimes not always clear on courses and workshops. But I think finding that place stems from intent - a genuine, honest, empathetic attempt to provide the the writer with specifics they can consider and use in whatever way they choose. Because nobody should be unhappy with a really good editor after all.
Thank you. This is incredibly helpful and I intend to pass it on.
Thanks so much Anna, please do feel free to share this and pass on in whatever way you wish.
I've found over the time I have been teaching and occasional mentoring, that having some guidelines for feedback and an open honest understanding of expectations really helps and encourages people to give and receive critiques much more easily.